StarTech.com 1 Port PCI Express Low Profile Parallel Adapter Card - SPP/EPP/ECP Parallel Card (PEX1PLP)

I had to get an old Epson LQ-950 impact printer (which I use at work for printing continuous forms) working in NewViews, an even older DOS-based accounting program, under 32-bit Windows 7. My new computer had a parallel port pin set on the motherboard but while it was recognized by Windows Device Manager, it wouldn't print in DOS. For a long time I fiddled unsuccessfully with all sorts of settings in Windows and the BIOS, then bought the StarTech PEX1PLP adapter card from Amazon. At this point I wasn't too hopeful that it would work either, but installation was easy: I disconnected the existing parallel port connector from the motherboard, reset the port configuration to its defaults in the BIOS, disabled that port in Device Manager and installed the StarTech card (I had to use the supplied longer bracket). Windows recognized the card and searched for but couldn't find a driver. I pointed it to the driver on the StarTech disk and Windows installed it. The StarTech driver sets the port to LPT3 by default and I needed LPT1 but it's an easy thing to change in Device Manager. The LQ-950 now prints from NewViews just as it has since 1988 (in DOS, Windows 3.1, 95, 98 and XP) when I bought it. Thanks, StarTech.Incidentally, the user's guide for this card is rather skimpy. It's not at all clear on which driver to use during installation. I found it by noticing in the card's Spec Sheet (available at StarTech's web site) that the Chipset ID is “PLX/Oxford – OXPCIe952” and that there's a “OXPCIe952” folder on the driver disk. The correct path to the driver then (at least on the disk that came with my card) is “PCIe\OXPCIe952\parallel\pport.inf”.

Got the product and installed it to the mother board. Lucky I had an old computer around I could scrounge a screw off of to hold the bracket, cuz they didn't include one, although that would have been nice. Windows 10 didn't know how to drive it until my boy got online and found the appropriate driver on Startech's site. Upshot is, I had an old printer with a parallel port cord I couldn't use, but now I can, so hooray!

This card should work with any parallel style printer or device. I purchased it for a specific need to use with a Zebra thermal transfer printer. The Zebra and many other devices do not work with the USB parallel adapters because they do not truely emulate a LPT port. The USB adapters show up in Windows 7 as USB0001 port instead of a good old LPT1 port. Note the LPT number is configurable in Windows. This card fits the low profile PCI Express slots in the Dell Optiplex 790 small form factor models. It also includes a full height bracket so that it can be used in a mini-tower or other model with full size slots.The bottom line is this will add a REAL LPT port to any modern PC with a PCI Express slot that will be compatible with any LPT or parallel device that works with your version of Windows.

Client states that this allegedly caused a "short circuit" on the motherboard, which is why it wasn't working, however, I think it was the computer that was from 1998 trying to run Windows Vista that was causing the problems. This card when plugged into another computer would work perfectly fine, but I think the client ended up pulling it and putting it in their store room.

Did exactly what it should. Nervous due to it not specifying that it was compatible to Win7 in the instruction manual, but it worked fine. Laser was up and running in no time. The laser didn't need an updated computer, but CorelDraw X6 did - hence the upgrade. The new computer wasn't equipped w/ a parallel port, but had 2 low profile PCIe slots. Inserted the card in 5 minutes - the fit wasn't completely snug to the back panel, but close enough were I was happy. The kit does come w/ a standard reg height panel mod, and the low profile as shown in the pic. Installed per instructions, and BAM - my new computer was equipped with a parallel port.

For your information: Beware. It does not work with the latest Windows 10 version 1803, build 17134.112 on a brand new computer. Does work on an existing Windows 10 computer that was regularly updated to that version. Again, it does not work with a new build Windows 10 computer. Returned it and did get a refund however. Nowhere does the information sheet even list that it supports Windows 10 at all. So I ordered the "SIIG Legacy and Beyond Series 1 Port Single Parallel PCIe Card - Supports SPP/EPP/ECP - IEEE 1284 Standard" that that information sheet DOES show that it supports Windows 10 Computers. And it works perfectly...

This adapter works, but unfortunately would not work for my intended purposes. Our company has older CNC software that requires a Sentinel lockout device to be connected, but the drivers that worked before could not be installed onto Windows 7 Pro. So this was a fail, as far as usability. I tried XP Mode, which should have in theory worked, but XP mode does not pass the hardware parallel port virtually to Virtual PC, XP Mode.I have upgraded my Sentinel lockout to a USB device ...... problem solved.If you are attempting to hook up an older parallel printer that still works, then this should work with no problems on newer Win OS's.

This product works like a champ. I recently purchased a Del 660s sans parallel port adapter. I needed the PC to support an old DOS app that interacts directly with the parallel port. I loaded the box with Win 7 Pro 32-bit, which offers native support for DOS apps. I slipped this card into the machine and loaded the driver that accompanied it. It performed flawlessly. The drivers are clean and do exactly what they should. The app I am supporting reads and writes to the port at the pin level. Well done Startech.